


better, easier, less counterproductive ways

by Diary



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 05, Angst, Awkwardness, Bechdel Test Pass, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Female Anti-Hero, Female-Centric, Friendship/Love, Hopeful Ending, Interspecies, Interspecies Friendship, Kanima Venom, Late Night Conversations, Literal Sleeping Together, Mental Health Issues, Minor Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt, Minor Liam Dunbar/Hayden Romero, Misunderstandings, Morally Ambiguous Character, POV Female Character, POV Nonhuman, POV Tracy Stewart, Post-Episode AU: s05e19 The Beast of Beacon Hills, Post-Season/Series 04 AU, Sharing a Bed, Tracy Stewart-centric, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 10:16:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12130293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: AU. Tracy kills Theo in self-defence. Complete.





	better, easier, less counterproductive ways

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf.

“Hm. What will you do now?”

Looking up from Theo’s dead body, Tracy isn’t surprised to see Deucalion looking at her with non-blind eyes.

Hissing, she keeps her eyes on him as she backs out of the room.

…

After throwing her phone away, she finds herself in the woods.

Hayden and Corey have chosen their boyfriends, Josh is dead, and she just killed the person who brought her back to life, who she secretly wanted to be her boyfriend, who just tried to kill her.

 _Go hard or go home_ has always been a mantra she’s clung to, and until the Dread Doctors came into the picture, it served her well. Now, however- “When you screw up, you don’t make any stops, do you,” she mutters.

Closing her eyes, she leans against a tree and concentrates on the feeling of the ground underneath her. “Okay. What are your options, Tracy?”

Scott is a moralistic idiot. Even if he would help her, she’d have to listen to _killing is bad_ and _we’re going to make plans that potentially endanger us just to ensure no one not us isn’t hurt_.

Aside from following him and choosing their boyfriends, Hayden and Corey won’t take finding out she stood by and let Josh be killed well.

She’s not sure Deaton won’t convince everyone to let him do experiments on her to find out more about the Dread Doctors.

After all she’s done, at best, Sheriff Stilinski would have her thrown in Eichen or some other place designed to hold her, and at worse, he’d kill her. Seeing as how Stiles killed Donovan, neither he nor Scott would object to his dad doing so.

Not to mention, if hellhounds and banshees hold grudges-

Then, there’s Deucalion to consider.

She realises she has to leave town. She has no money, no vehicle, there will be another APB out on her soon enough, if there isn’t already, and for good or bad, she no longer even as her phone.

Theo’s dead body flashes through her mind.

If she can kill the one who brought her back to life, if she can kill an alpha, if she can break all the instincts that had her following his every whim, she can do anything.

Except, she realises, at some point, her claws appeared, and with her tapping absently on her own leg-

Wonderful, she has now paralysed herself.

…

She hears someone call out, “Hello?”

Don’t find me, don’t find me, don’t find me…

“There you are. Hi, I’m Lori. I thought I heard someone.”

From what she can see at this angle, Lori is a blonde teenager.

“Um, I’m sorry if I’m bothering you-” Lori trails off.

Tracy can only imagine how she must come across, this silent, weirdly sat, unmoving girl in the dusky woods.

“Are you okay? I’ll leave you alone, if you want, but will you please just answer me? Can you answer me? Miss?”

Kneeling down, Lori makes eye contact. “Hi, I’m Lori,” she repeats.

Getting a better view, Tracy sees Lori is likely rather short.

More than this, however, her senses are warning her Lori likely isn’t human.

“Can you hear me? My brother knows sign language, but of course, he’s at a meet. He’s on our school’s track and lacrosse team. We go to Devenford. You wouldn’t happen to be fluent in Japanese, would you?”

Tracy realises Lori is speaking slowly and keeping her lips within Tracy’s view.

“Okay. I know you’re awake, and thankfully, alive, but are you- do you know I’m here?”

Sighing, Lori digs out her phone, and the clicking as she types is unnaturally loud.

“Okay, autism? Epilepsy? Fugue state? What in the hell is a fugue- Oh, okay.” Lori sits fully down on the ground. “Um, if you can understand me, I’m sorry for talking about you as if you aren’t here. I sometimes talk to myself when I’m nervous.”

Been there, done that, Tracy almost wants to reassure her.

“Do you happen to have a medical bracelet that I could read from here?”

Tracy hates feeling sorry for herself, but she can’t help the thought: Just what I need, a good Samaritan non-human who won’t leave me alone.

If Lori knows about kanimas and finds out she’s sitting across from a paralysed one, her response is likely going to be to kill it.

Lori closes her eyes. “My name is Lorilee Rohr-Talbot. Technically, my brother and I are step-siblings, but that’s a complicated story. Do you believe in werewolves?”

Her uneasiness grows when Lori’s eyes snap open. “Good! You can understand me. I think. And also,” she frowns, “please, don’t be a hunter. Please. We haven’t done anything. Are you a hunter?”

“Right. Yes or no questions are probably the least helpful.” Reclosing her eyes, Lori takes a deep breath. “Three things cannot long be hidden: The sun, the moon, and the truth. I promise, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay to be scared, I probably would be, too, but I won’t hurt you. I’m not a monster.”

She opens her eyes, and Tracy finds herself staring into golden ones.

“I’m a werewolf. Oh- you’re not colour-blind, are you? Or regular-” Taking a calming breath, Lori says, “Again, I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

She shifts.

Tracy remembers how Theo looked. Lori has subtler ridges to her face but longer fangs. Her ears are hidden by her hair.

“You don’t seem to be scared. That’s good. Probably. I’m a beta werewolf. My alpha is Satomi Ito.”

“Lorilee.”

If Tracy could close her own eyes, she would. Don’t hurt her, Deucalion, she silently pleads. Scott might be a moralistic idiot, but he’s right about there being too much death.

Jumping up, Lori turns. “Deucalion! Hi. You didn’t call to tell Satomi you were in town. Can you help me? This- I think she’s still a girl, something’s wrong, but I’m not sure what. Does she need a hospital? Her scent is weird-” Glancing back, Lori gives her an apologetic look. “But I’m not sure why.” Turning back, she adds, “I’m sorry, ‘weird’ wasn’t the best word. There’s nothing wrong or bad about the way you smell, it’s just different in a way I’m not used to.”

“Lori,” Deucalion says.

She turns back to him, and even with her limited vision, Tracy can tell she’s hopeful and trusting.

“Go home, and leave her be. She’s a kanima.”

“A kanima? But-” She trails off.

“Yes. She’s managed to poison herself with her own venom.”

Clicking on her phone, Lori asks, “Is she being controlled by someone?”

“She isn’t your or Satomi’s concern.”

“You know better than that.”

Tracy is surprised by the grimness in Lori’s polite tone, and fear creeps through her when Lori strides over.

She feels herself being lifted up, and grunting under the weight, Lori starts dragging her.

Deucalion’s sigh fills the woods. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Don’t follow me, Deucalion. It’s always nice when you visit, but I’m not letting you kill a paralysed girl. If someone’s controlling her, they need to be stopped.”

“Wait.”

Lori stops, but despite swaying, she doesn’t let go.

“You and Brett know about the chimeras?”

“Yes. One of them is the beast. It’s not her, is it?”

“No. However, she is one of them. A manufactured werewolf with kanima traits.”

Oh, screw you, is her, unfortunately, still nonverbal response. You think you’re better than me just because you’re not a creature made from mad scientists? You goaded Theo into killing Josh. You killed two of Derek Hale’s betas, and then, abandoned those alpha turned omega twins that you convinced to kill their pack. At least, Scott and the others have justification for their hippy-dippy self-righteousness. Most of them haven’t ever killed anyone, and Stiles killing Donovan was a clear case of self-defence. Liam temporarily killing Scott was on Theo. At least, when I was first killing, it was because I genuinely believed I was dreaming.

“Do you understand?”

“That she’s probably going to need help even after she’s not paralysed? Yes. If you mean, do I understand why you’re trying to get me to walk away and let you kill her, no.”

“She is a threat to Scott, you, and everyone else, Lori. She’s remorselessly killed, and even with her unique reason for being, ingrained in her is a kanima’s instinct to seek a master. She’s killed her father, and she killed the closest thing she had to a master just this afternoon.”

Lori resumes her dragging. “Come on. I’m taking you to Satomi. She won’t hurt you, I promise.”

“And if she hurts Satomi or your brother, whose fault will that be?”

Tracy expects the question to give Lori pause, but it doesn’t. “Be safe, Deucalion. When we don’t have guests you want to kill, you’re always welcome.”

“Wanting and being resolved to do the right thing aren’t the same,” Deucalion’s distant voice responds.

“I don’t know if you know him, but that was Deucalion. He’s an alpha werewolf. I’d, um, say he’s not so bad once you get to know him, but trying to kill a paralysed girl- Don’t worry. I texted Satomi, and even when he was killing other werewolves, he never went against her. I’m not going to leave you alone. Whatever you did, right now, you can’t protect yourself, and I know it wouldn’t be right to let someone take advantage of that.”

…

She can’t see how many, but there are several cottages.

Lori stops in front of one, and an Asian woman comes out. “Hello, Tracy Stewart. When you can move again, I ask you to remember that Lorilee potentially risked her life for yours. None of my pack means you any harm, but we will try to protect ourselves when threats emerge. Bring her in. I’ll get the bestiary.”

In a messy room with two beds, Tracy can smell it’s Lori’s she laid on.

Taking off her own shoes, Lori says, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to take off your shoes.” Tentatively, she adds, “If you do, could you try to make your heart change a bit or something?”

Tracy really couldn’t care less.

Lori takes the shoes off. “I- Is the light bothering you? Do you want me to turn your head a bit?”

The light isn’t directly hitting Tracy’s eyes.

“Your name is Tracy? Hi, Tracy. Sorry we’ve met like this.”

Satomi comes in. “Take her jacket off.”

“I think it’s actually a sweater,” Lori supplies.

As Lori does, she gasps.

Coming over, Satomi holds her up, and Tracy can feel her eyes looking at the torn clothing and possibly dried blood from Theo’s claws.

“It wasn’t Deucalion. Someone tried to steal her spark. Theo Raeken, another of the chimeras. He didn’t succeed, but it’s a safe guess what he did is the reason she’s so weak right now.”

She’s laid back down, and Tracy can half-see her examining and running a hand above but not touching. “Ah. See this tiny hole in her pants? That likely wasn’t him. I believe she paralysed herself by her claws. Whether this is common or not, I can’t say, but it is feasible.”

“When will it wear off? It will wear off, won’t it? She’ll get her strength back?”

“It should, yes, and her spark will likely renew itself fully. Generally, kanima venom takes anywhere from thirty minutes to a whole day to leave the system, depending on the dosage and the species of the poisoned individual. If she isn’t better by morning, I’ll call someone. Deaton might not be the best choice in this instance.”

Oh, thank God, is Tracy’s relieved thought on the matter.

“Lori, come talk to me privately.”

“I’ll be back soon,” Lori says.

The two leave.

…

Satomi comes in. Bringing a desk chair over, she sits. “Lori has gone to have dinner with some other members of my pack. She wasn’t going to eat when you couldn’t. You surprised Deucalion. He expected Theo to be able to kill you.”

What about you, Tracy wonders in resigned fear. Are you going to kill me and spin some story to your beta?

“He and I have much in common, but he’s never fully understood the motto I teach my pack. There are three things that can’t long be hidden. The sun, the moon, and the truth. It means that a person’s true nature will always reveal itself, one way or another. Rest now, Tracy. He won’t come here, and when you’re ready to leave, you can choose to do so without impediment.”

She starts reading, and Tracy promises the universe, God, anyone or anything that might be listening: I promise, I’ll leave this town and never come back, just please, please, let me. I’m not going to hurt Lori or any of her pack. I’d rather not have to try to fight Deucalion. Surely, Lydia and the hellhound have better things to focus on than tracking me out of town, out of state, out of country, even. Hopefully, Scott, Liam, and Mason will always be good to Hayden and Corey.

Aside from the turning of pages and the steady thrum of electricity flowing through the cottage, there’s silence.

“I’m back,” Lori says. “Do you like spaghetti and soy balls, Tracy? I put some in the fridge for you, and we have junk food and stuff to drink. Satomi, yours is on the table.”

“Thank you. Work on your homework.”

“Okay.”

Satomi leaves, and Lori takes the chair. “I wish Brett were here. I have a sociology test on Friday. But you might not like him. He’s the best big brother I could ask for, but he- he’s not for everyone. People like him because he’s strong and confident. Other people don’t because he isn’t above kicking people while they’re down, and sometimes, he isn’t above being the one who kicked them there.”

Tracy agrees, she probably wouldn’t like Brett, but rather than objecting because she isn’t like that, it’s because she’s become exactly like that lately.

“Anyway, I’m going to work on my homework. If you need anything, I’ll be right here.”

She puts in a pair of earbuds, and Tracy can vaguely hear some sappy, melodramatic music playing from whatever music device she’s listening to. Despite this, she’s grateful Lori didn’t choose to play it out loud where she’d have no way to properly tune it out.

…

Lori finishes her homework, and Satomi reappears. “Lori, why don’t you sleep with me tonight?”

Tracy finds the question shockingly inappropriate, but Lori’s answer makes it clear she doesn’t. It seems rather than finding an adult woman asking a teenager about sharing a bed (at least, she dearly hopes that’s all) to be weird and/or creepy, part of it is Lori doesn’t want to trouble Satomi, and part of it is a desire to stay close to protect Tracy. “It’s okay, I can sleep in Brett’s bed.”

Despite hating the utterly powerless state she’s in and hating that others know how weak she is at the moment, part of her is touched.

“Neither of us know her. Right now, she’s defenceless, but when she isn’t, we can’t know what she’ll do,” Satomi gently says. “She has killed without remorse.”

“You feel remorse, now.”

To Tracy’s shock, Lori’s words aren’t condemning, but they are pointed, and the implication _you didn’t back when you did_ is clear.

“And does she?”

“I don’t know,” Lori answers, and her vitals change in a way Tracy’s not sure what to make of. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Thank you.” Taking off a necklace with the letter ‘L’ hanging from it, she puts in in a jewellery box. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

They leave, and when Lori comes back, she’s wearing a nightgown with a bear on it that reads  _I’m Beary Sleepy_.

Tracy, however, is more curious and worried about the pile of rock Lori has in her arms.

She watches as best she can as Lori makes a horizontal line of rocks in front of the doorway. Further in the house, there’s a sound of bells ringing.

After she’s done, Lori takes the rest of the rocks and, from what Tracy can guess by the sound, sets them on the floor under the window. She hears Lori locking the window, and then, when she hears another bell, she realises: Satomi and Lori are putting bells on the possible entrances into the cottage.

Lori sets a bottle of water on her nightstand, and Tracy remembers the mini-fridge she saw earlier. “Satomi’s room is down the hall to the right. The bathroom is to the left, by the laundry room. You’ll be safe. We’ll hear if anyone tries to come in.”

Satomi returns.

“Should I pull the covers over her? Do you think some light would make her feel better, or does she need pitch dark to sleep in? Oh, um, and sorry for talking about you as if you weren’t here, again.”

“Her core temperature is comfortable right now. And I doubt the dark will bother her.”

The lights are turned off, the door is left open a crack, and she listens to them watching TV in Satomi’s room.

…

At some point, she dosed off, but now, she’s awake, and thankfully, she can finally move.

Cautiously getting off the bed and slipping on her shoes, she realises there’s no weakness or sluggishness to her movements, and physically, she feels as strong and healthy as she’s gotten accustomed to feeling.

Carefully opening the door so the bell doesn’t ring, she steps over the rocks.

She finds herself going to Satomi’s room. The door’s open, but there are rocks in front of the doorway. Inside, the faint glow of the TV illuminates them. Satomi’s sleeping on her back, and Lori is curled against her with her face pressed into her neck.

Tracy quietly finds the front door, stops the bell from ringing, steps over the rocks, and locks the door behind her.

Making her way through the woods, she freezes when she hears, “I do hope they’re still alive. Adversary or ally, Satomi has always been a worthy one. And Lori- such a sweet, innocent child. Her parents burnt to death, and her brother chose to rescue her over trying to help them. As much as she doesn’t want to, I believe, deep inside, she’ll always resent him for this. Much as he’d openly resent me, I couldn’t in good conscience let him become a killer for her sake.”

Activating her claws, she feels her scales appearing, and she turns.

He steps into the moonlight.

“Tell me, Tracy, why do you deserve to live? Theo was the closest thing the Dread Doctors had to a success, and in the end, even he was a failure. Perhaps, you were a victim once, but you can’t blame all you’ve done since you were brought back on being brought back. You chose to follow him. You chose to let him kill Josh. You chose to help him attempt to kidnap a girl who was unable to move.”

Even knowing it’s irrational, part of her wants to protest, _Scott and the others wanted to kidnap Lydia, too. They called it a rescue mission, but really, it was the same. Theo wasn’t going to do anything bad to her. He just wanted the hellhound._

“No answer? No justifications?”

She scoffs. “You’re so sure you’re going to win, aren’t you? And if you don’t, what would your answer be? I know there are, at least, five dead teenagers because of you. We were a pack, and just like you did before that dark druid, that you set off, healed you, you tried to convince Theo to kill his. Is Scott’s going to be next?”

He steps forward, and she raises her claws.

“I need no justifications.”

“Neither do I,” she replies. “Just remember, if I win, your death is your own fault. I was going to leave. Leave you alone, leave this town.”

“If you kill me, my death is your fault.”

She shrugs. “Time for one or both of us to die, then.”

Blinking against the blinding light, she feels a sense of irritation. Those were probably going to be her final words, and they were good.

“Apparently not,” Deucalion wryly replies.

A darkened figure steps in front of the car and into moonlight, and she sees it’s a tall boy with dark blondish brown hair.

“Hello, Brett. I’m not surprised Satomi would send others after her, but I am surprised she’d send you alone. That Lori would let you.”

“I left for a meet out of town yesterday,” is the grumpy response. “When Satomi told me what was going on, I hauled ass to get back.”

“Ah, well, in that case, this doesn’t concern you, does it? I believe she left your sister and alpha unharmed. Why don’t you go home?”

Going over, Brett opens the passenger door. “You’re much more exciting than your picture. Do you know Liam fell in a hole looking for you? Get in.” He looks at Deucalion. “I’m not arguing about whether this qualifies as Satomi’s land or not. You’re not killing the girl my sister dragged home and gave up her bed for. Not here, not now.”

“Get in, Tracy,” he repeats.

Part of her wants to protest, but she finds herself obeying.

He shuts the door. “You know that, when we don’t have guests you’re determined to kill, you’re always welcome.”

“Yes, your sister made that clear.”

Brett gets in, puts her seatbelt on before she can react, and starts driving.

She looks behind her.

Deucalion stares calmly with an amused, almost fond look on his face.

“Don’t worry. He won’t come near the house.”

…

When they get to the door, she says, “There are bells and rocks.”

“I know.”

They go inside, and soon, Lori and Satomi come out.

Lori and Brett immediately hug, and Satomi touches his cheek. He squeezes her hand.

Looking over, Lori gives a small wave.

“Hey,” Tracy greets. “Thanks. For everything.”

“Are you hungry? The spaghetti and soy balls are still in the fridge. Brett, if you’re hungry-”

“I’m not.” He strips off his shirt. “I’m sleeping with you two tonight.”

Tracy doesn’t remember ever sleeping with her parents. She only had two or three sleepovers as a kid, and those involved sleeping bags. From what Theo said about packs, apparently, some are very close.

Still, this isn’t an appropriate thing for a teen boy to say to his sister and their guardian, nor is it right for him to just casually take his shirt off in front of them, and she truly hopes he’s planning on changing into a pair of pyjamas. She doesn’t understand how Lori and Satomi are treating this as completely unremarkable.

A few times, Theo stripped in front of her and the others before turning into a wolf, but this is different.

“I can sleep on the couch.” Or the floor, or even on the roof, she’s tempted to add.

“No, you can have my bed,” Lori earnestly insists.

And Brett just took off his belt and slipped out of his pants.

Coming over, Satomi looks at her. “Stay for breakfast tomorrow. Brett and Lori can drive you into town.”

She suddenly realises she’s tired.

“Okay,” she agrees.

“Brett’s shirts are big enough for you. Would you like to change into one,” Lori asks.

“No.”

…

In the morning, Satomi makes omelettes and toast and brews some disgusting smelling tea. “Here."

Making faces and shuddering, Lori and Brett both drink a small spoonful of it.

“Before the Dread Doctors came, there was a deadpool for the supernatural,” Satomi says. “One of them poisoned my pack, but this tea inoculated me. It tastes terrible to them, but hopefully, taking small doses throughout the day will protect them should it ever happen again.”

“I call first shower,” Lori announces.

“What? No, you-”

Brett hits the floor, and Lori races to the bathroom. Before he can get up, the door’s closed.

“Sure, hit someone who can’t hit back!”

Over the shower, Lori retorts, “You kicked me in the stomach and locked me in the trunk last week!”

“Yeah, and I can lock you out of your phone!”

“If your sister can’t have a phone, neither can you,” is Satomi’s mild interjection. Turning to Tracy, she smiles. “While Brett is thinking of a new threat, why don’t we take a walk, Tracy? It shouldn’t take long for them to be ready.”

Tracy nods.

…

Outside, Tracy sees the cottages all have solar panels, and in addition to numerous gardens, there’s a nearby green house. There are a few vans and other cars besides Brett’s.

“I don’t have a blood family,” Satomi says. “I don’t bite people. When I became an alpha, I decided I would build a peaceful pack. We don’t protect humans, but we don’t hunt them, either. We don’t target other supernatural creatures. Many of us have been outcasts.”

“You all still are,” Tracy comments.

“Perhaps. But we don’t feel like that. Some of us have jobs in town. Some of us are proficient at computers and earn money doing things, legal things, online. We grow our own fruits and vegetables, and some of us do hunt meat. Would you like to stay here? As long as you don’t hurt innocent people, you’re welcome.”

“I tried the pack thing. It didn’t work out well.”

“You don’t have to be part of my pack, though, you’re welcome if you ever do. Deucalion is trying to do what he believes is right. Right now, he isn’t going to go against any of my pack. If you leave humans and Scott McCall and those close to him alone, he won’t. We can protect you. Keep you safe.”

Theo once said the same thing. He once offered her the same thing.

She should have stopped him from killing Josh. She should have run once he did.

“No. A ride to town would be nice, but I don’t need or want anything else from you or your pack.”

“Very well. Though, you will accept the bowl of spaghetti and the soy balls, won’t you? It’ll make Lori feel a little better.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

…

Lori makes Brett give Tracy an old jacket of his. “Here, my number.” She holds out a piece of paper. “Be safe. I know it wasn’t under the best of circumstances, but it was nice meeting you.”

If Tracy lets herself, she’s going to start liking Lori, but she knows this is what Lori wants, and Theo wanted the same thing.

It’s better not to like or care for people. It’s the people she liked and cared for she ended up attacking and killing. Liking and wanting Theo almost got her re-killed.

“Thanks.”

Walking into the public library with her old sweater wrapped around the bowl of food, she doesn’t look back. She’ll stay here for the day and try to leave town by night.

…

At one point, she discovers a wallet full of money in the jacket along with a note reading _Take care, Tracy 😊!_

She spends the rest of the day debating whether she should risk trying to return it.

When the library’s closing, she slips the money into a donation box, throws the empty bowl and plastic silverware away along with her old sweater, and leaves the wallet in the lost and found box.

Walking through the night, she tries to feel brave. She tries to feel strong. She tries to feel as if this is an adventure. She even tries to feel scared.

All she feels is a sharp lack of feeling.

Then, a car starts speeding towards her, she jumps out of the way, and when it follows, she knows she’s a target.

Running, she finds herself back in the woods, and if she had time to spare, she’d smack herself and hurl out every swearword she knows.

The car hits her, she falls down, and Deucalion steps out.

“Pretending to be blind and trying to get Theo to kill me was fine, but just continuing to run over me until I’m dead offends your sense of fair play,” she sarcastically inquires.

“I’m already going to have to pay to have the dent removed. While running over you repeatedly would probably work in killing you, it’d most certainly ruin my car.”

“Fair point."

“Let me guess, this is the part where you howl and bring Satomi’s pack to you? Or did you obtain a new mobile phone that you’ll call them on?”

Scoffing, she snaps her leg back into place, stands, and brings out her claws, fangs, and scales. “I’ve always been a quick learner. One thing I was great at as a kid was never getting into trouble. I saw what produced negative consequences, and I avoided doing it. The rare occasions I did, I only did it after I was relatively sure I could get away with it.”

“I’m not bringing anyone into this. You won’t stop until one or both of us is dead. Fine.” She slashes at him.

He moves, ducks, and weaves away from her claws.

“Why aren’t you fighting back,” she demands.

“Who says I’m not? I didn’t teach Theo this, but there are times the best way to win is to let your opponent wear themselves out.”

“He was already enough of a coward. No one needed to teach him more.”

“Harsh words,” he responds.

Rolling her eyes, she leans against a tree.

“Fine. You want me dead? I’m right here. I have nowhere else to be. We’ll both stand here until you-”

Nearby flashing lights cut her off, and they look to see a squad car in the distance.

“Ah. Deputy Parrish,” he says. “I wonder why he’s going towards Satomi’s?”

She comes less than an inch to nicking him.

Scoffing, he elbows her in the stomach. “I’ll deal with you, later. I’m going to see why a hellhound is going to see my friend and her children.”

Jumping back up, she snaps, “It’s not as if he’s going to hurt them! He’s in human form, driving a car, not half-naked and on fire.”

He continues walking, and as much as she knows she should take this opportunity to run, she finds herself following.

“Also, they aren’t her kids. They’re her betas.”

“Hm.” Looking at the cottage, he tilts his head. “They’re talking about you.”

She focuses her hearing.

“You can’t do this, deputy,” Satomi says.

“We’ve told you the truth,” Brett adds. “Lori and I dropped Tracy off at the public library, and then, we went to school. I have a month’s detention for leaving my track team without telling anyone. We don’t know where she is.”

“I don’t think she’s dangerous to anyone right now, Deputy Parrish,” Lori says. “She was hurt last night, and I brought her here. She never tried to hurt any of us.”

Parrish sighs. “I believe you. But aside from the fact Hayden Romero and Corey Bryant are worried about their friend, she killed Theo Raeken and Josh Diaz. That’s not even getting into the other murders she’s suspected of.”

“I can’t speak for them, but I talked to Liam and the others, deputy. Theo killed Josh, and he tried to kill her. Even without the supernatural elements, she acted in clear self-defence.”

“Maybe. It’s two dead bodies against the word of one girl already wanted for questioning in several other murders and the attack on Lydia Martin. As I’ve said, I don’t want to do certain things, and neither does Sheriff Stilinski, but if we suspect you’re aiding and abetting a murder suspect, we will get a warrant and bring officers and K9 agents down here. We’ll tear apart every cottage, seize every electronic device, any papers that have been written on, and you two along with any other minors will be placed in emergency foster care until a trial accessing the fitness of the guardians and parents can be held.”

“Aren’t you popular,” Deucalion quips.

She wishes she could take satisfaction in slashing him across the face.

Steeling herself, she goes and knocks on the door.

“Come in,” Satomi calls.

She opens the door, and Lori’s eyes light up. Bounding over, she starts, “Tracy! Are you-” She pauses. “Why do I smell blood? Is that yours?”

“Don’t,” Tracy orders. “Here I am, hellhound. Leave them alone.”

Standing, he smiles. “Miss Stewart. Let’s go outside.”

“But-” Lori shakes her head.

Pulling her against him, Brett says, “Hey. We’ve done what we can. He won’t hurt her.”

“Miss Ito.” Parrish nods to Lori and Brett.

…

Outside, he leans against the squad car. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t. I’m not resisting. Just take me to Sheriff Stilinski, or try to kill me. But if you go with the latter, there will be resistance.”

“I’m not- I wouldn’t try to kill you. Even when I was in my hellhound fugue state, I didn’t kill you or any of the others. Corey and Hayden are worried about you.”

“They had the right idea. Turn against Theo before he turned against us. What Liam said to Brett was true, though. He killed Josh, and then, he tried to kill me.”

“You saw him kill Josh Diaz?”

“Yes. And I did nothing to stop it. I’m sure there’s a law against that, too.”

“Why are you here, Tracy?”

“Deucalion, I don’t know if that’s a first or last name, but he’s an alpha werewolf. He’s determined to kill me. He hit me with a car after chasing me into the woods.”

“A car,” he repeats in alarm. “Are you-”

“Werewolf kanima. I healed.”

“And Deucalion?”

“We came to see why you were at Satomi’s. I managed to slash him, and he’s lying paralysed somewhere around here. I don’t know where, I don’t care, and I won’t help try to find him. You and your officers or Satomi’s werewolves can look for him if you want him.”

“But you left him alive?”

“Unless I got really lucky and my slashing him did more than paralysing him, yes. I didn’t stick around to check.”

He takes out a pair of handcuffs. “We both know there’s no real point, but if you’re serious about not doing any more damage-”

Putting her hands on the back of her head, she gets on her knees. “I don’t care about the damage I’ve caused, hellhound. I just don’t care anymore.”

“Tracy Stewart, I’m arresting you on suspicion of…” Handcuffing her and pulling her up, he asks, “Do you understand these rights I’ve just recited to you?”

“Yes, and I’m invoking my right to silence. I want a lawyer.”

Opening the backdoor, he guides her in, puts on her seatbelt, and closes it. Then, he turns on his flashlight and starts walking. “Deucalion? Can you hear me? Can you answer me? Deucalion,” he calls.

Leaning back, she closes her eyes.

…

The backdoor opens, and snapping her eyes open, she jumps when she sees Hayden and Corey.

Corey puts his fingers to his lips.

Undoing the seatbelt, Hayden helps her out and quietly demands, “Why haven’t you been answering our texts and calls?”

“We were afraid Theo did something. To your body,” Corey adds. “It wasn’t until Liam talked to Brett that we even knew for sure you were still alive.”

“I ditched my phone.”

Making an unhappy sound, Hayden says, “Here.” She holds up a key, and going behind Tracy, she undoes the cuffs.

“Thanks.” Tracy tilts her head. “What’s different about you?”

“I’m a werewolf now. Scott bit me.”

“Oh. Good for you,” Tracy sincerely says. “And Mason?”

“He’s alright. It turned out, he was the beast, but Lydia saved him,” Corey answers. “He’s completely human, again.”

“I’m not going to ask, and you two aren’t going to tell me,” is her flat response. “What are you two even doing out here?”

“Looking for you, obviously,” Hayden answers. “I heard Parrish and the sheriff talking at the station. We were going to talk to Satomi after he left.”

“You could come with us,” Corey says. “Scott doesn’t need to bite you, but if you wanted it, he could. It doesn’t matter that our boyfriends don’t like each other and that you don’t like Scott. Lydia isn’t angry. We could all convince the sheriff to leave you alone, and it could be the three of us, again.”

Hayden touches her cheek. “It could be.”

It’d be nice, she wistfully thinks.

But she also knows better.

“I need to go. I hope you two stay safe and happy. I’m sorry we couldn’t be together for longer.”

Hayden pulls her into a hug. “I hoped you wouldn’t say that, but I brought a burner, just in case. It has all our numbers. We didn’t bring a car, or we’d offer to drive you.”

She returns the hug. When it breaks, she holds her arms open for Corey, and he hugs her.

“Please, stay alive.”

“I will,” she promises. “Do me a favour, you two. Go to Satomi’s and have one of them give you a ride.”

They agree, and walking them near the cottages, she watches them go knock. Brett opens the door, and the two go inside.

Once the door’s shut, she goes over to Deucalion. “You can’t answer Parrish, or you’re choosing not to?”

He rasps out, “Your venom is hell on the voicebox.”

Kneeling down, she pats him down until she finds his keys. “I’m taking your car.”

As she starts to walk away, he croaks out, “Your sense of fair play doesn’t allow you to kill me like this?”

“You know me better than that.”

…

She’s almost out of town when there’s a bump, and all the tires deflate.

Finally allowing herself to curse and scream, she gets out to find someone set up an unauthorised spike strip.

“In this instance, I agree her nature has reared itself.”

“My paralysis usually lasts longer.” Turning, she sees a calm looking Deucalion and Satomi along with an uneasy looking Lori and Brett standing behind them.

Keeping suspicious eyes on Deucalion, Lori says, “Tracy, I promise I don’t know what’s going on. I haven’t been planning behind your back.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Deucalion says. “You and she both assumed I was there to kill you, and I allowed this. Even knowing I was unlikely to attack one of Satomi’s betas, what Lorilee did was very brave. Furthermore, the kindness she showed once she got you to her home, that had a different sort of bravery all its own.”

“Really, the only thing I want to know is how you got over my venom so fast.”

“I’ve developed an immunity. When it did affect me, however, it was hell on the voicebox.”

He moves closer, and Satomi holds Lori back.

“In order to save numerous lives, Theo needed to be dealt with. There was the risky way of trying to convince you and Josh to abandon him along with Hayden and Corey, and there was the option of taking away his pack by turning him against them. That way had a much higher rate of success. Pointless as it will be to hear it said, I am sorry about Josh. He was a necessary sacrifice.”

“And so, I thought, were you. However, you fought back, and once you were free, you didn’t get in Scott and the others’ way. You didn’t continue to perpetuate the danger the way he did.”

“Why not just let me go, then?”

He smiles, and she finds herself creeped out by the genuine softness in it.

“Again, you assumed I was there to kill you.”

“There were much better, easier, less counterproductive ways to make it clear you weren’t than to let me believe I was right.”

She’s almost embarrassingly grateful for the way Lori and Brett nod and the look they both give Satomi.

“And that’s where the question of your nature comes in. I can understand you not wanting to associate with Scott, but you need someone, Tracy. You are a very damaged young woman, and your kanima parts only exasperate this. It doesn’t have to be forever, but for right now, I don’t think you’re going to find a better option than Satomi.”

“I’m good with how I am. I don’t want her or her pack or anyone else. Me leaving town damaged and alone- I see it differently, but you know what? If I didn’t, it’d still be good with me. Also, the law is looking for me.”

“No, it’s not,” he says.

“Oh, for- Tell me the exact number of people who have been involved in your plot involving me.”

“If I’m not mistaken, all you truly care about is if your friends, Corey and Hayden, were willing participants. They weren’t. Deputy Parrish cares about you and wanted to help. We planned to see if you would escape or still be there when he came back. We were trying to get a clearer read on your emotional state and thought process. However, your friends helping you turned out to help us, as well.”

“You didn’t try to kill me, Tracy. You didn’t go after Parrish. That was your nature shining through. You’ve killed. The label ‘killer’ will always apply. But you aren’t truly sociopathic nor are you particularly sadistic when there aren’t factors far beyond your control propelling you.”

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted that the idea I’m intelligent apparently hasn’t crossed your mind or if I should take it as proof you aren’t. I took AP psychology. Sociopaths and psychopaths do occasionally have the ability to recognise that not doing something they want to would be beneficial to them and are able to refrain from doing it.”

“True. Lori, come here.”

Giving Brett’s hand a reassuring squeeze, Lori does. She smiles tentatively at Tracy.

Deucalion puts a hand on Lori's shoulder. “You turned yourself into Jordan Parrish when he was threatening her and her pack. I was paying close attention to your vitals. Hearing they’d be placed in emergency foster care was the catalyst.”

“No, it wasn’t. Him and Stilinski versus you. Stilinski, at least, was the better choice. Parrish was a gamble I decided to take.”

“So, you don’t care for her at all?”

“I don’t really know her. I’m grateful for what she did. You’re right, she is brave, and I respect that. But some brave little werewolf isn’t something I’m ever going to concern myself over.”

Deliberately not paying attention to Lori’s reaction, she wonders why she’s even trying to argue against him. There’s no clear benefit to convincing anyone she is a sadistic sociopath, she knows, and she should probably have stronger feelings on the fact Deucalion truly doesn’t seem to be planning to kill her.

“No, you only concern yourself over cowardly coywolves who you let kill your pack member before they try to kill you.”

“And you only concern yourself over- well, causing pain as far as I can tell. If you genuinely think you’re helping me, that you’ve done anything to help me, you’re not, and you haven’t. Where’s your pack, Deucalion? Where’s Erica Reyes and Boyd Vernon?”

“Actually, it was Vernon Boyd,” Brett interjects.

She glares before turning back to Deucalion. “I should have stopped Theo from killing Josh, but I believed we were doing something important. That we were going to be the ones to save everyone, not Scott and them. And in the end, Josh’s death is on him with you playing a bigger part than I did. He killed him, not me. You manipulated him into turning on us, not me. At least, I’m honest about what I am. Why don’t you just join Satomi’s little pack of outcasts? You both act as if-”

She takes a breath.

“As if what,” he inquires. “What do you have against Satomi, the woman who took you into her home when you were weak and had a target on your back?”

“I was weak, but I didn’t have a target on my back, and she knew that.” Glancing at Lori and Brett, she shakes her head. “I’m sorry for you two. I hope she never turns on you. I’d warn you, if I thought you’d listen. She and him are just like Theo, and from what I’ve seen, neither of you are killers. Can never be. Lucky you, until that day comes. Jacket’s in the car. I’ll walk the rest of the way, unless anyone else has any other plans of trying to keep me in this godforsaken town.”

“You’re crying,” Deucalion points out.

She doesn’t care, but seeing Lori is slowly edging closer, she wipes her eyes, reaches over, and turns Lori around. “No. Back to your brother.”

“And clearly, you’re very truthful in your assertion you don’t care about her at all.”

She starts walking.

“Tracy!”

Finding herself on the ground, she realises she was tapping her leg as she walked and that her claws had appeared.

Why do I keep doing that, she wonders.

Turning her over and gently touching her face, Lori demands, “Why isn’t she healing? Deucalion-”

“This wasn’t my doing. I’m not sure. Perhaps, she can’t heal when paralysed?”

“I’m sorry,” Lori says. “I tried to warn you.”

“We’ve all tried. I suggest moving her somewhere out of sight and honouring-”

“Really, Deucalion,” is Brett’s exasperated response.

Tracy fills herself being lifted up, and she sees Lori running and opening the car doors. “Are you going to be okay alone? There’s not enough room in the car for all of us.”

“Yes.”

Brett sets her in the backseat, and despite slumping, the seatbelt keeps her mostly in place.

“Brett and I could stay and call my friend, Sydney,” Lori offers.

“No, that’s quite alright. I’m always alone.”

Who’s choice is that, is Tracy’s mental retort.

She promptly wishes she hadn’t made it.

…

She finds herself back on Lori’s bed, and the three wolves pile back up in Satomi’s.

In the morning, however, she still can’t move.

“If I break her arm, will that trigger her healing,” Brett asks.

“Usually, that would be a safe course of action to take, but she’s a very rare species. Jackson Whittemore is the only werewolf with kanima traits I know of, and even in his case, he’s a bitten werewolf who was saved from being controlled. Perhaps, we should bring the other chimeras here.”

“Is it too soon to put some more Neosporin on her cheek? Would a bandage help? It’s still bleeding. Humans don’t keep bleeding from such a small injury unless there’s something seriously wrong.”

“Lori,” Brett says, and Tracy knows his quiet tone is more for his sister’s sake than to keep her from hearing, “there _is_ something seriously wrong with her.”

…

By afternoon, she’s seeing things she knows aren’t there.

…

_Tracy._

Lydia Martin peers down at her. _You shouldn’t have tried to take me. This is your own doing._

The knife wielding Lydia comes closer and closer, and she can’t move.

 _Make it hurt_. Theo comes into view. _I did. Better hurry. Your hellhound is waiting to take her where she belongs. Where she should have gone before I interfered. Guess I owe him._

“How many more people in Liam’s social circle are going to be possessed and hurt my sister?”

She blinks.

“Tracy,” Lori comes into view, “please, just put your claws down. I don’t know if you’re dreaming or if this is a fugue state or- but we could talk about this, right? Please?”

Staring, she tries to figure out how she’s hurting Lori.

Lori starts moving closer, and she tries to move back.

Pain courses through her, and she finds herself staring into the sun.

“Well, at least, she can move again,” Brett’s nearby voice says.

“Tracy? Are you okay? Please- oh, thank God, her claws are gone!” Lori grabs her hands. “You can’t do things like that!”

“Sorry. For whatever I did.”

Brett kneels down. “You tried to kill yourself.”

“She didn’t try to kill herself, she was just dreaming or something,” Lori insists.

Carefully sitting up, she sees a nearby large tree branch. Then, she sees the tree missing said branch.

“Yeah, Satomi turned her back for five minutes, and suddenly, you were hanging upside down from it. We were concerned, but we thought, once we figured out how to get you down, it’d be fine. Then, your claws appeared, and the way they were poised, we thought you were about to claw yourself. Assuming you didn’t rip yourself to shreds, if you’d gotten paralysed up there, you might have fallen and broken your neck or worse.”

“I think my night terrors are back.” She studies Lori. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“You mean aside from terrifying her half to death?”

“Brett,” Satomi says.

He sighs.

“No, you didn’t hurt me,” Lori answers. “But you need to stay with us. You’re going to end up seriously hurting yourself if you’re all alone.”

“I’ll risk it.”

Grabbing her wrist, Satomi raises it up.

Tracy sees her claws have, yet again, appeared, and of course, she was tapping on her leg again.

“It seems something is determined to keep you near Beacon Hills,” Satomi says.

“How many times does a person need to be exposed to my venom before they become immune?”

“We could try to figure it out,” Lori offers. “You could stay until we do.”

 …

“This is progress.”                                       

Tracy wishes she could roll her eyes. “I can talk and sort of move my left pinkie.”

“I consider you being able to talk major progress.”

“You consider everything I do to be major progress.”

“Well-” Lori starts but wisely decides not to finish.

If someone she cared about went from being homicidal and quasi-suicidal to getting their GPA back up, not having night terrors, and not going around killing anyone, there’s a chance she be proud of everything they did, too, but then again, that’s setting the bar incredibly low.

“Um, at Devenford, we’re having a dance at the end of the month. We can just bring a friend instead of a date, if we want, and we can bring people from other schools. I was wondering-”

Instinct takes over, and Tracy manages to grab Lori’s wrist and pull.

The lacrosse ball hits one of the lamps.

“Brett!” Lori screams. “You could have killed me. Or Tracy! Satomi has told you not to practise near the house!”

She moves Tracy’s hair out of her face. “Are you okay? Thank you.”

“I’m fine. Now, that actually was progress.”

“I don’t care, he-”

Brett’s head pops in. “You’re a werewolf, she’s a werewolf kanima chimera. A ball isn’t going to kill either of you.”

“I’m still telling Satomi,” Lori declares. “And she’ll make you pay for that lamp!”

“That was my lamp, that I bought with my own money.”

“Tracy, will you be okay alone?”

“Sure,” she answers.

Producing her claws, Lori starts advancing, and Brett starts running. “I didn’t hurt your kanima.”

“She’s not my kanima,” Lori practically screeches. “Don’t talk about her like that!”

Outside, Satomi arrives back. “Come back soon, you two. Remember, Tracy’s friends are coming for dinner tonight.”


End file.
